Conor McGregor is under investigation in Ireland after a woman accused him of sexual assault in December, multiple sources told Tariq Penja of the New York Times.
The longtime UFC star has not been charged with a crime and the allegations have not been proven, according to Penja. McGregor was reportedly arrested in January, questioned by Irish law enforcement, and released pending further investigation. Formal charges do not necessarily follow an arrest in Ireland.
The woman who accused McGregor said the assault occurred at the Beacon Hotel in Dublin. Police retrieved evidence from the room McGregor stayed in and secured closed-circuit camera footage, according to one of Penja's sources.
Irish media outlets have reported on the case since news of the assault first broke, although McGregor was not named until this point. Laws in Ireland restrict media from identifying individuals charged with rape unless they are convicted. A police spokesperson would not confirm McGregor as the suspect to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion shockingly announced his retirement from MMA early Tuesday morning.
"This story has been circulating for some time and it is unclear why it is being reported now," Karen Kessler, a spokesperson for McGregor, said in a statement obtained by ESPN's Ariel Helwani. "The assumption that the Conor retirement announcement today is related to this rumor is absolutely false.
"Should Conor fight in the future, it must be in an environment where fighters are respected for their value, their skill, their hard work, and their dedication to the sport."
Additionally, the 30-year-old McGregor was arrested in Miami on March 11 after being accused of smashing a fan's phone. He was charged with felony strong-armed robbery and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
